Spectroscopic probes are used to optically interrogate a sample for purposes of taking spectroscopic measurements of the sample. These types of probes are often referred to as “optical immersion probes.” A fiber-coupled optical immersion probe can be attached to an optical fiber head, which, in turn, is attached to an optical fiber cable leading to an excitation laser source and a spectrometer. As such, light can travel from the excitation laser source to the probe, and from the probe to the spectrometer, via the optical fiber cable attached to the optical fiber head. In order to function properly, the optical fiber head and the optical immersion probe must be aligned such that a collimated beam of light does not touch the inner walls of the probe tube as it travels through the probe. With small diameter probes, great care is taken to manufacture the probes as straight as possible to achieve this alignment.
However, for various reasons, optical immersion probes can be biased, angled, and/or off-center in some aspect, which is problematic for a fiber-coupled probe because these imperfections can cause alignment issues that render the device inoperable (e.g., collimated light may strike an inner wall of the probe tube as it travels through the probe). This often leads to an extra “tuning” step in the manufacturing process for a fiber-coupled optical immersion probe. In this tuning step, a manufacturer makes adjustments in order to align the optical fiber head and the probe until a beam of light can travel from the optical fiber head, through the probe, to a lens element at the end of the probe (as well as the reverse direction) without striking the inner walls of the probe. For example, depending on the coupling mechanism that is used, a manufacturer may adjust the amount of torque when tightening set screws, and/or rotate the optical immersion probe relative to the optical fiber head until the proper alignment is achieved. This alignment issue is exacerbated with longer probes and/or smaller diameter probes, making the “tuning” step even more important with probes of these dimensions. Along these lines, unsophisticated users of fiber-coupled probes must rely on a technician to make these types of adjustments if, for example, the user wants to change the type of probe that is coupled to the optical fiber head.